ACADEMIC LISTENING TEST PRACTICE
BRAZIL - WELCOME!
BRAZIL - WELCOME!
For Students Preparing for Academic Tests / IELTS and TOEFL
Listen as you read the script.
Playing Time: 2 minutes 16 seconds
Are you thinking of taking a holiday in Brazil? If you are, here are some basic facts about the country, things that you should know before you start packing your bags and heading to the airport.
First of all, Brazil is big. I mean, it’s really big. It is the largest country in South America, and the fifth largest country in the world. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the east of the country, and it borders all of the other countries of South America, except Ecuador and Chile. More than 190 million people now live in Brazil. Most of those who arrived during the past 500 years, were originally from Europe and Africa.
Keep in mind that, while most people in the other countries of South America speak Spanish, the most commonly spoken language of Brazil is Portuguese. Brazil became independent from Portugal in 1822 and it consists of twenty-six areas, called states. In 1763, Rio de Janeiro became established as the capital of Brazil, but then the capital changed to the city of Brasilia in 1960. The country is a popular tourist destination (with 8 million visitors in 2020), and, of course, a “must-see” for many of them is the Amazon rain forest and the Amazon River.
Another place very popular with tourists is the Iguazu Falls. These falls are located in the southern part of the country, near Argentina. In fact, there are two international airports located not far from the falls, one in Brazil and the other in Argentina. In addition to enjoying the amazing, natural beauty of the country, visitors should also try to catch a football match, an extremely popular sport throughout South America. Brazil, in fact, has won five World Cup Championships since 1958, more than any other country in the world. While in Brazil, you might also consider taking some samba dance classes, to prepare for a week-long party, or festival, called ‘Carnival,’ which happens every year in March or February.
First of all, Brazil is big. I mean, it’s really big. It is the largest country in South America, and the fifth largest country in the world. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the east of the country, and it borders all of the other countries of South America, except Ecuador and Chile. More than 190 million people now live in Brazil. Most of those who arrived during the past 500 years, were originally from Europe and Africa.
Keep in mind that, while most people in the other countries of South America speak Spanish, the most commonly spoken language of Brazil is Portuguese. Brazil became independent from Portugal in 1822 and it consists of twenty-six areas, called states. In 1763, Rio de Janeiro became established as the capital of Brazil, but then the capital changed to the city of Brasilia in 1960. The country is a popular tourist destination (with 8 million visitors in 2020), and, of course, a “must-see” for many of them is the Amazon rain forest and the Amazon River.
Another place very popular with tourists is the Iguazu Falls. These falls are located in the southern part of the country, near Argentina. In fact, there are two international airports located not far from the falls, one in Brazil and the other in Argentina. In addition to enjoying the amazing, natural beauty of the country, visitors should also try to catch a football match, an extremely popular sport throughout South America. Brazil, in fact, has won five World Cup Championships since 1958, more than any other country in the world. While in Brazil, you might also consider taking some samba dance classes, to prepare for a week-long party, or festival, called ‘Carnival,’ which happens every year in March or February.
Iguazu Falls
Note: For more cool ESL resources about Brazil, visit my All Things Topics site.
